PROLOGUE: Where Everything Started

SOIRYE'S P. O. V

THE NIGHT WAS WILD—THE ENTIRE RESORT WAS SURROUNDED BY BLINDING LIGHTS. THE MUSIC WAS A BLAST—ACCOMPANIED BY THE CHATTERING NOISE OF BOTH LAUGHTER AND SHOUTS OF GLEE.

Sa kabila ng ingay ng paligid ay rinig na rinig ko pa rin ang malakas na pagkabog ng dibdib ko. I was being followed by my crazy—no, by my obsessed ex-boyfriend. The same ex-boyfriend na pinagbabantaan akong pakakalatin daw sa social media ang "sex tape" ko kung hindi ako makikipagbalikan dito.

"Baby… the car's waiting. I know you're here. Naaamoy kita. Lumabas ka na,” a voice of a drunk man called. That was him, my ex-boyfriend. Sa boses pa lang nito ay kinikilabutan na ako. Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin lubos maisip kung anong nakain ko at pinatulan ko ito. Although our relationship lasted for just two weeks, it still counts.

Inilibot ko ang mata ko sa paligid. I was currently hiding behind the bush. Naghahanap ako ng tiyempo na makaalis doon nang hindi nakikita ng baliw kong ex.

Madilim ang paligid at wala akong halos maaninag. Maliban sa isang lalaki na nakatayo at umiinom sa hindi kalayuan. A sudden urge to ask for help rushed through my veins. Wala akong idea kung sino ang lalaking iyon—but judging by his built, alam ko na kung magkaipitan man ay makakaya niya akong ipagtanggol.

So with all my strength, I got up on my feet and rushed towards the stranger. Nawalan pa ako ng balanse siguro dahil sa biglaan kong pagtakbo. 'Tapos nakasuot pa ako ng high-heeled sandals na nasa apat na pulgada ang taas. Thanks to that man's sturdy chest, doon lang ako bumangga at hindi tuluyang nabuwal. Dahil kung hindi, malamang na hindi lang ako nakahalik sa lupa ngayon. Baka nakain ko pa iyon. Gross.

"What the hell, Miss—”

"T-Tulungan mo 'ko. H-Help me, please. My ex-boyfriend has been chasing me—” Napatigil ako sa pagsasalita nang biglang tumawa 'yung lalaki. It was a short yet gentle laugh.

"Well, you should be proud. That only means someone thinks that you're worth chasing for,” kalmadong sabi niya. He then drank the entire liquor on his shotglass with a smirk oh his face.

"H-Hindi mo naiintindihan. H-He's crazy obsessed with me! He's dangerous and—”

"BABY! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE! I CAN SMELL YOU! 'PAG HINDI KA PA LUMABAS, I SWEAR HINDI MO MAGUGUSTUHAN ANG GAGAWIN KO!”

Napapikit ako ng mariin habang hinihiling sa sarili na sana, hindi ako tuluyang makita ni Tyler.

Itutuloy ko na sana ulit ang pagtakbo palayo dahil mukha namang wala akong mapapala sa lalaking 'to pero bigla niya akong hinawakan sa kamay. Hinila niya rin ako palapit ulit sa kanya.

"Was that him?” he asked.

I nodded in urgency. Akmang tatakbo na ako ulit pero lalo lang humigpit 'yung pagkakahawak niya sa kamay ko.

"Do you have your visa with you?”

Binalot ako ng pagtataka sa tanong nito. "Ha?” na nga lang ang nagawa kong isagot sa lalaki dahil na rin sa pagkabigla. Oo, lagi kong dala ang visa ko. Nakalagay 'yon sa wallet ko kasama ng iba ko pang mga ID. Pero ano namang kinalaman ng visa ko sa pagpapatulong ko sa kanya na makapagtago?

"I said, do you have your visa with you?” ulit ng estranghero.

Kahit gulung-gulo ay napatango na lang ako. "O-Oo—”

Hindi na ako nakapagsalita dahil bigla na akong hinila ng lalaki palayo. Hinagis lang nito papunta sa kung saan ang hawak nitong shotglass. Wala na akong nagawa kundi ang magpatangay sa kanya. Pipiglas pa ba ako, eh nasa likuran ko na si Tyler at kita kong nakasunod na siya sa amin? His eyes were red as usual. Nanlilisik pa ang mga 'yon.

"C-Can we please hurry? I-I don't care kung sa'n mo 'ko dadalhin. J-Just please, ilayo mo 'ko rito,” pagmamakaawa ko.

He glanced at me and smirked. Nakita niya rin si Tyler na mabilis na humahabol sa amin pero parang hindi man lang siya kinabahan kahit kaunti.

"Chill out. Akong bahala sa iyo,” he said before a wink.

Hinila niya ako paliko sa isang madilim na lugar. Malawak 'yon. Base sa nararamdaman ko sa mga paa ko ay madamo sa lugar na 'yon.

"What are we suppose to do in here—” Hindi ko na natapos ang mga sasabihin ko nang biglang lumakas 'yung hangin. A loud sound coming from above followed. Nang tumingala ako, nakita ko kung saan nanggagaling ang malakas na hangin at maingay na tunog na iyon. Above us was a huge aircraft that seems to land right before our eyes.

***

"CHÁTEAU DE LA LUNE. IT IS A RARE, LIMITED-PRODUCTION WHITE WINE FROM THE LOIRE VALLEY IN FRANCE. ONLY A FEW HUNDRED BOTTLES ARE PRODUCED EACH YEAR. THAT'S WAS WHY THEY ARE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER BY COLLECTORS AND CONNOISSEUR. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE NOT JUST ONE, BUT SEVEN ON THIS.”

I looked at the man with a blank expression. His right hand held the bottle of the alcoholic drink he mentioned. Sa kabilang kamay naman niya ay hawak niya ang dalawang crystallized glasses.

The man walked up to me and sat in front of me. Nilapag niya rin 'yung mga dala niya sa maliit na center table na nasa pagitan naming dalawa.

I was still processing everything that had happened. Tyler has been chasing me, I hid, I asked this stranger for help, and now I am already thousands of feet above the ground—sitting inside this private jet na hindi ko man lang alam ang destinasyon. Sobrang bilis ng mga pangyayari.

Nang makita ko na nagsasalin na ng alak sa kopita 'yung lalaki ay nataranta ako bigla kaya agad ko siyang pinigilan.

"I-I don't drink,” simpleng saad ko.

The stranger looked at me with disbelief in his eyes.

"Are you serious?” Tumawa siya ng pagak. "I'm not aware that there are still girls out there who doesn't drink.”

Ako naman hindi makapaniwalang tumitig sa kanya.

"Well, at least now you're aware. Thanks to me,” turan ko.

Tumawa siya ulit. "Yeah, thanks to you.”

Hindi na ako kumibo. Binaling ko na lang ang tingin ko sa bintana kahit wala naman akong halos makita roon dahil gabi na.

"I understand that you don't drink. But you should try this one. Mild lang naman 'to. It can't make you drunk when you had just a glass.”

Binalik ko sa kanya ang tingin ko. Nakapagsalin na siya ng alak sa dalawang kopita at ngayon ay inaabot niya na sa akin 'yung isa.

Kahit nag-aalangan ako, kinuha ko na lang din 'yung inaabot niya at walang imik na tumikim doon ng kaunti.

"So…?” he said afterwards, waiting.

Bago ako magsalita ay nilunok ko munang pilit 'yung kaunting alak na natikman ko. Sure, it was mild. May lasang grapes din doon at hindi masyadong masakit sa lalamunan bagama't may hagod.

"It's… mild, just like what you said. Not bad,” komento ko. "But I still don't feel like drinking. Hindi magandang tingnan sa isang babaeng tulad ko ang makipag-inuman sa estranghero na basta na lang ako inilipad na ni hindi ko man lang alam kung saan ako balak dalhin.”

For a moment, he looked surprised. Bahagya pang nakaawang 'yung bibig niya habang parang hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin sa akin. Pero mayamaya lang din ay tumawa na siya.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna judge you on that. I don't like conservative shit either,” aniya. "But anyways, Damon is the name. Damon Ignaci. I'm sure, you already heard of me.”

The stranger's name echoed several times on my head. Damon Ignaci…

And yes, he's indeed right. I already heard his name. Maraming beses na. I knew him just by his name and of some pictures. Wala akong ideya na gan'to pala ang itsura niya sa personal. He looked so handsome—even better than he did in his pictures. At tama nga 'yung sabi ng ilang nakakita na sa kanya sa personal—he looks like a very masculine demi-god. Nakakamangha. I just noticed it now after finally staring at his face for seconds.

"You heard about me already, didn't you?” halatang proud na sabi nito tsaka kalmadong uminom ng alak.

Dahan-dahan akong napatango. "Y-Yeah, I guess so.”

He chuckled once again. "I'm certain, by now you already know who I am. But what about your name?”

"I'm Win—Soirye. Just call me "Soirye",” pakilala ko. Of course, I'm Winter. But I am also Soirye. Kaya hindi pa rin ako nagsinungaling sa pagpapakilala ko sa kanya. I just introduced myself to him by my second name.

Amazement became visible in his face after what I said.

"Was your name… "Siri" as in the A****n AI Siri?” he asked.

Umiling ako.

"It's… S-O-I-R-Y-E. Soirye. It's complicated, isn't it?” natatawang sambit ko.

"Nah. It's actually… cool. So feminine,” he complimented.

"Ikaw din naman. Damon is such a masculine name.”

"Yeah. Pero 'yung tunog, hindi maganda. Like Damon, Demon,” aniya at muling tumawa.

That time, I wasn't able to resist my smile too. Natatawa rin ako sa bilis ng naging pangyayari ngayon. To add that this for sure, is a one in a million moment. I mean, what are the odds na ang mahihingian ko ng tulong ay ang isang Damon Ignaci? And I only asked for help, didn't I? Yet here I am, riding his private jet. Hindi naman lingid sa akin na maraming babae—and when I say "marami", I am not pertaining just to hundreds of women. And according to some news, madalang mamataan sa bansa si Damon Ignaci. He's half-Filipino, half-Italian. But neither of both country he visits more often. Base lang sa mga nababasa at naririnig ko, hindi napipirmis sa isang bansa ang lalaki. And that made our encounter even more like straight from a nutshell.

"Anyway, it's so nice meeting you, Soirye. And now that we already know each other, how about we drink to celebrate our first accidental meeting?” nakangiting saad niya.

Ngumiti na rin ako. Tumango bilang pagsang-ayon at nakipag-cheers pa sa kanya bago uminom. Pagkaubos ko ng alak sa baso ay nagsalin agad siya.

"So, tell me about what happened earlier. That man, your ex, why is he after you?” usisa nito.

Hindi ko alam kung anong nakain ko at sinagot ko siya. I don't usually discuss my life in public or to other people, lalo at hindi ko kilala. But this man seemed to have a power to reign over me. Natagpuan ko na lang ang sarili ko na sinasabi na sa kanya lahat-lahat. Mula sa kung paano ko nakilala si Tyler, kung paanong aksidente akong nalasing and he's been claiming na may nangyari sa amin no'ng gabing 'yon and everything was recorded, kung paano ako nakipaghiwalay sa kanya after I realized how pathetic of a person he is, at hanggang sa kung paano niya ako habul-habulin at i-blackmail for almost a month now.

"But I thought, you're not into drinking,” nakakalokong komento ni Damon matapos kong magkwento. Pailing-iling pa siya.

"I am not. Nagkataon lang talaga no'n dahil nasa party ako ng isang close friend at hindi na 'ko nakatanggi,” depensa ko sa sarili ko. I even glared at him to shut him up and stop him from laughing his ass loud.

"So you're saying na ayaw ka n'yang pakawalan and he's blackmailing you using that hell of a sex tape you had?"

"Allegedly. Hindi ko pa nga nakikita 'yung sex tape na 'yon na sinasabi niya,” paglilinaw ko.

Tumangu-tango siya at natahimik na para bang nag-iisip. Ako naman ay inabala na lang ang sarili sa pag-inom. Unti-unti ko na kasing nakasanayan ang lasa ng alak na 'yon. Sunud-sunod tuloy ang naging paglagok ko—maybe because I'm starting to get drunk or maybe, dahil sa sobrang inis ko kay Tyler na nadagdagan lalo dahil naging topic pa namin 'yung mga lame threats niya.

"You know what? I have a proposal. I can ensure your safety against that ex-boyfriend of yours. But of course in return, you have to help me, as well.”

Kunot-noong napatingin ako sa kanya. Hindi ako nagsalita. But I'm sure, my expression clearly says that I want to hear more of his "proposal".

"It might sound lame but… I'm talking about marriage here. Marry me and I'll protect you even to the point that you already don't need my protection. And in return, you have to act as my wife and help me score my trillions inheritance. Deal?”